Wheelbarrow.



J. M. HARRIS. WHEELBAREOW.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6, 1909.

Patented June 14, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

@w 4' @em Homme? J. M. HARRIS.

WHEELBARROW.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 6, 1909.

Patented June 14, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

La ma@ vzo the following is a JOHN MORGAN HARRIS, OIEv CALLAO, MISSOURI.

WHEELBARROW.

aereos.

i Speeication of Letters'Patent.

Patented d' une 14, 1910.

i Application led August'G, 1909. Serial No. 511,609.

To all whom #may concern.' A

Be it known that I, -JoHN MORGAN HAR- ms, a citizen of the United States, residing at Callao, in the county of Macon and State of Missouri, have invented newand useful Improvements in Wheelbarrows, of which specification.

This invention relates to wheelbarrows or push carts of that class which are equipped with one or more supporting and transporting wheels and which may be properly tilted for the purpose of discharging or dumping the load.

The invention has for its object to provide a wheelbarrow of simple and improved construction which shall be well balanced so that a heavy load may be transported with small effort.

A further object of the invention is to improve the frame construction and the method of mounting the handle.

Still further objects are to simplify and improve the general construction and operation of this class of devices.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple anld preferred form of the invention; it being however understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the invention, may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawing: Figure l is a side elevation of a push-cart constructed in accordance with the invention, the near wheel having been removed. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation illustrating the invention as applied to a onewheeled wheel-barrow. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the same.

Corresponding parts in thc several figures of the drawings are denoted by like -ch'aracters of reference.

The general frame structure of the device is precisely the same whether it be applied to a two-wheeled wheeled barrow, and the saine includes a pair push-cart or to a one-l of side sills 5-5 suitably connected with each other to support the body or box of the improved wheelbarrow or cart, the same comprising the bottom or bed 6, side members 7 and the front and rear end pieces or end gates 8 and 9, said side and end pieces being provided with cleats 10 that extend downwardly to engage keepers 11 upon the sills 5 and upon the cross pieces 12 connecting the said sills thereby serving to secure the said side and end pieces in position. The side sills 5 are extended some distance in rear of the box or body as will be seen in the drawings.

Angular or V-shaped braces C are secured upon the sills 5, each brace having a long limb 13 the frontv end of which is secured upon a sill adjacent to the front end vofthe latter and a short limb 14 which is terminally connected with the sill adjacent to the rear end of the box or body. The apices of the braces C form ground engaging supports as will be seen in Fig. 1 and upon each brace adjacent to the apex is pivoted a handle D resembling a plow handle.

The axle' or shaft A is supported in boxes or bearings 16 upon the under sides of the limbs 13 of the braces C, said shaft being provided, incase of the device being a twowheeled cart, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, with a crank axle 17 upon which, the supporting wheels 18 are mounted for rotation. When the device is a onewheeled barrow, a single crank axle here designated 17 carries a wheel 18 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The axle A is connected by braces B with the handles D, said braces beingpivoted upon the axle and provided with series of perforations 18 for the pas'- sage of a fastening member such as a bolt 19 whereby adjustable connection is made with the proximate handle. By this simple construction, the grips of the handles may be raised or lowered by simply adjusting the handles in a more or less tilted position as will readily appear by reference to Fig. 1 of the drawing where different positions of the handles are indicated respectively in full and in dotted lines.

An-arched brace 20 supports the bottom 6 of the box or body, the ends of said brace being suitably attached to the limbs 13 of the brace C. The brace 2O is arranged in rear of the axle A, and the axis of the latter is disposed slightly in front-of the center of gravity of the box, .thus throwing a. slightly greater proportion of the load in rear of the axle. Tipping or tilting is thereby prevented when the vehicle is standing still, and the propulsion of the vehicle, especially in going uphill, will be greatly facilitated.

An important and advantageous feature of this invention resides in the fact that the entire frame structure is ,equally applicable to a two-wheeled cart and to a one-wheeled barrow; the difference between the two vehicles consisting solely in the fact that in the cart structure the. shaft A is provided with terminal cranks or axles for two supporting wheels which are disposedadjacent to the box or bed of the vehicle while in the barrow structure, a single crank upon which a transporting wheel is journaled is formed upon the shaft A intermediate and about lmid-way between its ends, thus locating the transporting wheel beneath the vehicle box or bed about midway between the sides of the latter. In the drawings, Figs. 3 and 4, the parts have been so proportioned that the wheel will be accommodated beneath the vehicle bed or box; but it is obvious that a larger wheel may be `used by forming the Vehicle bed with a housing to accommodate the upper portion of the wheel, but as this feature is not novel per se it has not been deemed necessary to illustrate the same.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the construction is of such a nature that the strain in pushing upon the handles will be transmitted through the braces B direct to the shaft or axle. The construction is simple and inexpensive and the improved wheelbarrow will be found thorou hly efficient for the purposes for which 1t is provided.

@crece Having thus described the invention, what is claimed isl. In a device of the character described, a frame including side sills, angular or V- shaped braces having limbs of unequall length terminally connected with the sills, a

the long limbs of the angular braces, handles pivoted adjacent to the ground engaging apices of the angular braces, and braces pivoted upon the axle andconnected adjustably with the handles.

3. In a device of the character described, a frame including side sills, angular braces having limbs of unequal length terminally secured upon the sills, a box or body including a bed supported upon the sills, a wheelcarrying axle supported in bearings upon the undersides of the long limbs of the angular braces, handles pivoted adjacent to the ground engaging apices of the b1-aces, and braces pivoted upon the axle and connected adjustably with the handles and an arched brace secured upon the long limbs of the angular braces and supporting the bed of the box or body.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MORGAN HARRIS. Witnesses:

J. MoRRoW, P. O. STACY. 

